General Fabio Mini
"International law has been grossly violated in Kosovo," Lt. Gen. Fabio Mini
UNMIK Pretends it Doesn't Know International Law is Violated in Kosovo Province
Former KFOR Commander, Lieutenant General Fabio Mini has said that it is very dangerous to look for legal framework for Serbian province of Kosovo and Metohia outside the UN Security Council Resolution 1244, stressing that the resolution was grossly violated by the Pristina separatists' declaration of independence.
"International law has been violated in Kosovo, because the international law is what Resolution 1244 says and no other interpretations are possible. The view that Resolution 1244 refers to just one part of Kosovo — the one where the Serbs live — is neither possible nor acceptable. Resolution 1244 refers to all of Kosovo," General Mini said in an interview to the Rome daily Il Manifesto.
He assessed that, unfortunately, the resolution had not been observed and that UNMIK, as the representative and guarantor of Resolution 1244, pretends not to see that Kosovo province's provisional parliament had violated the UN Security Council document by unilaterally declaring independence.
"I think that a major contradiction in the legal area has been created. It is really difficult, but also extremely dangerous to try to find a legal framework other than Resolution 1244. To do that, we should really go back to the beginning," the former KFOR commander said.
Kosovo and Metohija are Two Entities, One of Which Belongs to Serbian Orthodox Church
Asked to comment the statement by a so-called "Kosovo president" Fatmir Sejdiu, that there can be no polling stations opened in the province for Serbia's parliamentary elections, General Mini said he is not surprised, since "Sejdiu thinks Kosovo has received legality, so he can't accept the polling stations in 'his' Kosovo."
"But one should consider a fundamental fact: during the declaration of independence it was forgotten that Serbian province consists of Kosovo and Metohija—two entities which are not inseparable," the Italian general said, adding that "Metohija belongs to Serbian Orthodox Church."
"Being that the Serbs will never feel like a part of an 'independent Kosovo', I believe they have the right to vote either in Serbia proper or to open the polling stations where they live. We are either going to enable them to do that, or an endless series of other illegalities will be created," former KFOR commander assessed.